Heart Palpitations
by emmaswaning
Summary: Just a small one-shot drabble. Sorry about the title, I really couldn't think of anything else. Set in Season 3, I guess. Maura has an interesting conversation with Tommy one afternoon and Jane happens to overhear it.


_**A/N:** Just a drabble, a one-shot. Companion piece for a gifset on tumblr. The usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Rizzoli & Isles, they're owned by Janet Tamaro, Tess Gerritsen, TNT, etc. I'm just borrowing them._

* * *

Maura Isles was in love with Jane Rizzoli. That was a fact. Jane, she was sure, had no feelings to reciprocate. Ever since the shooting involving Agent Dean and Paddy Doyle, Maura had buried those particular feelings deep inside of her. When Jane pulled the trigger and shot her biological father, it felt as if her heart was having an erratic palpitation; not the usual light and fluttery feeling she would get when Jane would cast a sideways smile her way. No, the pain she felt when Jane pulled the trigger was the kind she associated with a 'broken heart'. Of course, broken heart is just a figure of speech, and no heart is actually physically broken, but Maura still felt _something_.

To her relief, after several weeks of being incredibly catty, rude, and sarcastic toward her former best friend, they had made up. She no longer had the feeling of a broken heart. Though, to Maura s dismay, when her and Jane became friends again, in lieu of a broken heart, she felt happiness, reassurance...**love**? _Not again_. As much as she fought the feeling, whenever she saw Jane she couldn't help but have them.

* * *

Maura was in her morgue, sitting in her office and writing up her latest lab report. It was nearly lunch time, which meant that Jane was likely to be meeting her soon for a rendezvous. When she heard footsteps, a smile came to her face. It wasn't Jane, though, but another Rizzoli: Tommy. He lightly knocked on the door (though it was open) and smiled at her.

"Hey, Maura."

"Oh, hello Tommy." Maura smiled and shut her laptop. _Work could wait_, she supposed.

He was a bit nervous, but he tucked his hands in his pockets. "Would you mind, uh, having a word?"

"Of course!" Maura, ever the kind person, sat down in front of her desk and gestured for Tommy to join her.

He sat in the uncomfortable chair Maura had purchased a while back and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "So, I figured that since I've got a job and all, if you would let me take you out." Maura went to speak, but he continued, not realizing. "You've been so good to me, and my ma, Maura. I just wondered maybe if..." He trailed off, noting the unsure look that Maura had.

She sighed, offering him a small smile. "Tommy, I'm sorry. I can't."

He lowered his head. "Is there someone else?" Maura's mouth hung agape at the blunt statement. There was someone in mind, however, Maura wasn't sure how Jane felt about her. And she couldn't lie; if she did, she risked breaking out in to hives or going vasovagal, just like when she claimed to do her homework when she hadn't.

* * *

Jane sauntered through the morgue doors, checking her watch, ready to take Maura out to lunch. She glanced around, half-expecting to see Maura hunched over her laptop (either doing work or shoe-shopping). Instead, she heard Maura talk in a quiet voice from her office. The person she was talking to, Tommy. Slowly (and as _subtly_ as a woman of her bravado could manage) she crept up to the wall beside the door of Maura s office, listening in. He s probably asking her out for the eightieth time, Jane thought with a slight scowl.

Tommy looked at Maura expectantly, raising his eyebrows. Maura let out a shaky breath. _Better to say it now and rip off the proverbial band-aid_. So she quickly answered, "It's your _sister_."

A knowing smile crossed Tommy's features and he nodded. "How long have you loved her?"

* * *

Jane stood outside of the office, her eyes wide, hands clasped over her mouth. She was sure she'd give away her position if she _didn't_ do that.

* * *

Maura sighed, looking sadly at the floor. I believe it s been quite a long time. We were working on a case with Hoyt, she felt nauseous mentioning the man s name but was thankful he was dead. Needless to say, it shook me. Jane talked to me, took my hands in hers, and made me feel safe. I think that was when I realized.

Jane leaned against the wall (sure not to make any noise), recalling the memory of that case with a smile.

_"Man, we're a pair."_

* * *

Was it so weird to consider her and Maura being a relationship? It isn't as if Jane _hadn't_ considered it before, really; it wasn't _all_ ludicrous. Tommy stood in his seat, and Jane took it as her cue to walk the opposite way. He patted Maura s shoulder affectionately and said, You should tell her. Maura looked up at him and nodded, slightly unsure. Jane was at the entrance of the morgue as Tommy exited Maura s office (better to have a ruse than blow her cover.) The two Rizzolis passed each other on the way to their respective locations. Jane poked her head in Maura s office doorway and smiled, walking in.

"Lunch? I thought we could try that new Greek place by the Common that you've been tellin' me about."

Maura nodded and they walked out of the precinct together.

* * *

Jane and Maura sat on a park bench at the Common, and both women were content with the comfortable silence that had come between them; though, after overhearing Maura s confession to Tommy, Jane was slightly eager to break it. She knew that if she kept a secret like this from Maura, it would eventually come out and they would both be equally hurt. She turned, leaning one arm against the bench and turning to Maura.

"I have something to tell you."

Maura raised her brows, cuing her to continue.

"I heard what you and Tommy were talking about earlier in your office."

Maura recalled her conversation, then her eyes went wide and her mouth went open with embarrassment. She lowered her head slightly. "I'm sorry you had to hear it like _that_." Maura quietly added, "Or at _all_."

Jane gently patted Maura s knee. "Maura, don't be." The doctor shrugged.

"How can I not be sorry? I've just ruined the best friendship I've _ever_ had." She regarded sadly.

Jane looked directly at Maura and a look of seriousness crossed her features. "Maura it's not as if I haven't thought about it."

Maura, surprised, stammered, "Y-you _have_?"

Jane chuckled and so did Maura. She nodded. "Sure I have. Maura, you're a brilliant, accomplished, beautiful woman. Who wouldn't?"

Maura pursed her lips for a moment. "Do you think we could..."

_"Date?"_ Jane finished.

"Yes, _that_."

The tone had turned serious as opposed to their usual playful banter that came over their lunch dates . Jane was clearly certain of something, however, Maura felt uneasy. If they did in fact date, Maura wasn't sure if she could ever have that friendship back, and it was something she loved dearly. Jane was sure of one thing: they both _did_ love each other.

"I'm sure that if anyone could figure out how to juggle everything - between friendship, work, dating, things like that," Jane smiled at Maura once again, and she felt the familiar heart palpitation she had before, "It's us."


End file.
